Wood is extensively used as a heating and/or cooking fuel in fireplaces or wood burning stoves, and preparing the wood for burning normally involves the steps of cutting the logs into manageable lengths, splitting the cut logs, loading and transporting the split pieces from the point of origin to the point of use, and unloading and stacking the wood in a convenient place at the point of use. Splitting the wood is a necessary step for large log segments to facilitate handling, drying, and use in the normally limited confines of a fireplace or wood-burning stove. In addition, splitting the log segments increases the available surface area of the wood which is then exposed to the flames upon burning, thus facilitating combustion. Loading, transporting, and unloading the wood from a trailer or truck may also be a necessary step since much usable wood is located in places remote from the point of use.
Splitting the log segments may either be accomplished manually, using a splitting maul or similar device, or with the aid of a hydraulically-operated log splitter, which substantially lessens the physical labor and effort required. A typical power splitter is a quite heavy, bulky device having a wedge-shaped blade driven by a hydraulic ram for splitting the wood. Many of these devices come equipped with wheels, and thus are somewhat portable; however, the weight, bulk, and awkward shape cause difficulties in transporting such devices over any substantial distance. In some cases, unsplit logs can be loaded and transported to the splitter for splitting at the point of use; however, split pieces are easier to handle and to load, and can be stacked closer together in the trailer or truck, making it normally more efficient and more economical to split the logs at the point of origin before they are loaded for transport to the point of use.